Varnish on deck, removal options?

[flyhigh123]

I was using marine varnish on some wood trim pieces and dripped some varnish on the deck. I didn't catch it until the day later when it hardened. My deck has a anti slip bumps so the varnish has gotten into the nooks. Any tips or ideas how to remove it? It's just unsightly. I do have a power washer.

 

[JimS123]

If the deck is gel coat fiberglas use acetone and a brush. Mask the wood first.

 

[smokeonthewater]

try the pressure washer first

 

[flyhigh123]

If the deck is gel coat fiberglas use acetone and a brush. Mask the wood first.

how long do i leave the acetone on for? Will it dissolve or damage the gelcoat?

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

goof off ? sometimes its amazing

 

[JimS123]

how long do i leave the acetone on for? Will it dissolve or damage the gelcoat?

No. The marine stores sell Acetone as a fiberglas cleaner. Just be careful to not get any on the varnish, and whatever you do, don't use a pressure washer as the overspray will certainly blow the varnish off the wood.

Brush it on, watch the varnish start to dissolve (in a minute or 2), and then wipe it off.

 

[Thalasso]

Acetone at Home Depot. $ 3.00 You can't leave it on long. It evaporates quickly. Faster then alcohol

 

[crazy charlie]

chip as much of it off with the tip of a knife as you can before using acetone.My preference would be a drop of organic paint/varnish remover.Charlie

 

[oldboat1]

+1. If a flat surface, I wet it for lubrication and use a blade scraper (paint scraper -- the retractable blades used when cleaning up paint on windows). light touch.

 

[JimS123]

Polyester gel coat is impervious to acetone. That's why boat stores sell it. Paint remover contains other aeromatic solvents which may or may not be OK. If your state requires periodic registration stickers on the hull, then you already know that how much care you take to remove them with a scraper, no matter how light, you always scratch the gelcoat. But in that case the new sticker covers your mistakes.

Removing a little varnish or paint from your boat is easy peasy.

 

[oldboat1]

Well, I usually manage to peel back those plastic stickers, then go from alcohol or mineral spirits to lacquer thinner with my finger and a shop rag -- whatever works best on the adhesive. Now that I think about it though, don't like to use a blade on the stickers because there is too much surface, it's tacky, and likely to grab (which produces the nicks). Recently restored a mahogany chest using the Formbys stripper, and might try a dab of that now and then for other uses, maybe varnish on some of the brightwork on my Trojan F26. PO wasn't big on teak oil -- varnish on the trim, and epoxy on the whole swim platform.